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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

R BUTTON.

Cutting Apparatus for Harvesters.

Patentd Feb. 11, 1868.

R a r N w w WITNESSES.

2 Shtv-Sheet 2.

R. DUTTON.

I Cutting Apparatus for Harvesters.

No. 74,213. Patented Feb. 11, 1868.

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RUFUS DUTTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 74,213, dated February 11, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN GUTTING-APPARATUS FOR HARVESTERS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Be it known that I, RUFUS DUTTON, of the city of New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Finger-Bars and Fingers of Harvesters;

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, and of their mode or manner of operation, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and making a part of this specification.

The nature or character of my invention consists in such a construction of fingerbar, audits combination. with the fingers, that such finger-bar forms the cross or guard-bar for supporting the knives, and preventing the grass clogging them, thereby diminishing cost of construction, and also securing more satisfactory action of the parts. i a

Figure l'is a. representation of apart of a finger-bar, with the fingers attached thereto, and the knives in position.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through one of the fingers, finger-bar, knife-bar, and knife.

Figure 3 is a detached view of a part of a knife-bar, with theknives attached thereto.

Figure 4 is a verticalsection through theknife-bar and one of the knives.

As finger-bars have heretofore been constructed of fiat plates of steel or metal, and the fingers fixed to them, it -has been necessary to have and make use of a cross or guard-bar, placed in front of the knife-bar, to support the knives, and also prevent the cut grass from clogging the knife-bar. When cast fingers have been used, such cross-bar has been formed by having cast on or with each finger a section or short cross-bar, extending on either side about half the distance to the contiguous fingers, the ends of such sections abutting against each other, or connecting with each other, by means of a socket in the end of one section, and a corresponding projecting pin on the end'of another section, or a small bar, extending the whole length of the finger-bar, has been riveted to the several fingers. Both of such forms of construction are, however, imperfect and objectionable; the former, in lacking suflicicntstiflness and solidity, and the latter by weakening the fingers by the hole drilled through them to secure the guard-bar, and also in rendering the removal or change of a finger difiicult and expensive. The construction of such cross-bars is also attended with considerable expense. These objections I obviate and overcome, first, by-my construction of finger-bar, and, second, by its combination with the fingers, as hereafter described.

The finger-bar A has its front edge, a,.turned or curved upward, as seen more plainly in fig. 2, such construction securing lightness with strength. The shank of the finger is cut away, as also shown in fig. 2, so as to fit the curve and bottom of the finger-bar, but only deep or far enough so that the top surface dot the raised edge of the finger-bar will be on the same line or plane with the bottom surface of the slot of the finger B.

The shanks of the finger B pass under the finger-bar,- and are fastened thereto. by rivets m m. The turned-up or raised edge of the finger-bar, being thus on a level with the bottom surface of the slots of the fiugers,.such edge of the finger-bar forms a continuous and unbroken cross or guard-bar the whole length of the finger-bar, for the support of the knives C, and thereby secures all required firmness and stability, without weakening or impairing the fingers, and withoutnny' extra expense in construction. The turning up or raising ofthe edge of the finger-bar furnishes also behind'it a convenient and suitable recess for the knife-burl), which is fastened to the under instead of the upper side of the knives. Finger-bars have heretofore been sometimes described as being so made as to form a continuous guard-bar, which has been effected by planing or forming a groove in the finger-bar, on its upper side, to receive the knife-bar, when placed on the under side of the cutters. Such'com stru'ction is, however, practically worthless, both on .account of the expense of making the groove, and from the liability and certai-nt-yof the knife-bar being clogged by grass and dirtworking in under the knife from the front, and having no means of escaping at the rear. But I make the finger-bar by turning up the front edge sufliciently high above its upper surface to form a spaec deep enough for the knife-bar, with an open space under it suflicient to permit dirt and grass to escape behind. The knife-bar runs orivibrates upon pieces of steel, G, placed on the upper surface of the finger-bar, and such knife-baris held in position, and the knives kept down against the finger, by means of buttons, E, which are riveted, with the steel pieces G, to the finger-bar, at suitable intervals. The buttons E; in order to best answer their purpose, should have these parts which extend over the knife-bar soft, so that they can be bent, and made to lie more closely upon the knife-bar; but that part against which the back edge of the-knife-bar rests should be harder, so as not to easily wear, and so as to diminish friction. If these buttons are made wholly of iron, they lack requisite hardness in those parts against which the knife-bar presses, and if they are made wholly of steel, so as to secure requisite hardness in such parts, the lap 'will be so hard that it cannot safely be bent as required. To unite or secure these several features or qualifications, I make the buttons E of iron, and insert or weld into them a shoulder or piece of steel, 0, against which the knife-bar moves. Requisite hardness is thus secured in that part where hardness is necessary, and flexibility in that part where such quality is desired. i

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Constructing the finger-bar of harvesters by curving and raising the front edge above the upper surface of the bar, sufiiciently to give room for the knife-bar, when placed on the under side ofthe cutters, and allow open space between such knife-bar and the top of the finger-bar, for the escape of dirt, grass, &c., substantially as described.

2; Making the upper edge of the finger-bar, when constructed as described in the last claim, form a coutinuous guardar in front of the knife-bar, substantially a's'and for the purposes set forth.

3. In combination with a finger-bar constructed as described, theuse of a button, for holding the knife-bar in position, constructed, substantially as described, of soft or flexible metal, with a steel or hardened surface, against which the knife-bar acts, for the purposes set forth, I

R. DUTTON.

Witnesses:

. S. D. LAW,

W. R. RONALDS. 

